First Bike for a 12 year old.

[Beliall]

Hi there, as mentioned in my welcome post i have been Googling for a bike for my step son, its his birthday , hes 12 and hasn't had one before, however I'm not sure what is good or bad in the world of bike these days, when i found these forums i hoped i could ask here for some tips, or good websites to browse, I'm hoping to spend around £100, maybe a touch more. thanks in advance for your help.

EDIT heres a link to the kind of thing i've been looking at.
http://www.tesco.com/direct/vertigo...-frame/211-0047.prd?pageLevel=&skuId=211-0047

also i have looked at similar bike in Halfords, Raleigh and Apollo

 

[RiflemanSmith]

Stay away from Apollo.

 

[Beliall]

Thanks nothings changed there then!

 

[xpc316e]

For £100 you will be able to buy something decent secondhand. Avoid like the plague all the junk from Tesco, Argos etc. and get a well-known brand like Giant, Trek, or Specialized. The stuff that you can buy new for that money will be ridiculously heavy, poorly made and have a life of a few months. If you get a decent bike in the first place, then you ought to be able to sell it when he grows out of it for almost what you pay for it.

 

[RiflemanSmith]

I got my son this bike http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/..._productId_729065_langId_-1_categoryId_165602
It's a pretty decent bike it's a bit more than you were looking to pay but it is good value.

 

[Beliall]

Thanks guys, the halford bike is bit expensive for us atm , maybe if he looks after the first one. I was a little uncomfortable with the idea of second hand, but if they're likely to be better than new for £100, I'll look into it. Cheers to you both.

 

[Ticktockmy]

Personally i would recommend you don't buy your stepson a full SUS bike, just something more to go wrong, better to buy a hard tail. I have found over the years that young teens manage to trash bottom brackets quite readily, due to the fact they cannot grasp the proper use of the gears, so will lump a bike up hill in the wrong gears.

I would also look at buying 2nd hand, try to find a cycling mate who knows the mechanical pitfalls that go with 2nd hand bikes. Maybe you could check with your local police as they regularly sell by auction stolen bikes that they have recovered but are unable to find the Owners.

 

[Crackle]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ridgeback-mx24-Boys-bike-/130873103347?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item1e78a513f3

MX24 secondhand are great value. Normally go for under a 100 and are a 250 bike new. Son2 has one, on which he's mtn biked and toured. Can't fault them.

This one with the curved top tube is the latest model.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boys-bicy...1109929228?pt=UK_Bikes_GL&hash=item2a2afe350c

 

[sidevalve]

The above is true however having studied the weights for quite a few "cheap" bikes and "better" ones the difference in weight isn't that much so don't run away with the idea that cheap means pounds and pounds heavier. Secondly any bike can have good or poor components fitted. Finally what is the bike to be used for ?
Off road, mixture of off and on, or more or less all roadwork ? A road bike will [unless you buy something very fragile] cope with most things but it also depends on what he WANTS. If he loves it and rekons it's the dogs he will want to ride it you must get his input. Remember it's not your bike.
To be helpfull I would say look out for a second hand road or rigid frame MTB weighing under 10kg for the roady and 14 max for the MTB. If he wants suspension fair enough, try to go for front only, BUT remind him that he will have to push every gram.
Bikes are out there at £50 - £100 and there are some good ones about and some of the old names are still good it just takes a little care.
Finally buy him a VERY good lock and get him to use it

 

[voodoochilli]

Have a look at this, a touch more but meant to be very good
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-junior-road-bike-white-id_8129804.html

 

[summerdays]

Don't go for full suspension - it adds weight and at that price band it doesn't add anything to the bike. I would also stay away from anything with plastic brake levers - tends to end up snapping and various bits brake very easily. This is said having gone down that route myself years ago for my eldest.